This invention generally relates to the field of stovetop popcorn poppers. Conventionally, these consist of a cooking bowl of sufficient volume to contain the popped corn, a lid, and a means for stirring the un-popped corn that is on the bottom of the bowl. Stirring the corn at the bottom of the bowl is necessary to prevent already-popped corn from remaining in contact with the bottom of the bowl, causing it to burn. While this function can be performed simply by shaking the bowl, the common practice is to provide a rotary stirrer to keep the corn in motion, generally by way of a central vertically-oriented shaft that rotates a stirring arm at the bottom. All currently-available popper configurations embody designs that create several operational difficulties. For example, if a simple crank handle is provided at the top of central shaft, the operator's hand is forced to remain directly above the popping corn, exposing it to the large quantity of steam produced during popping. To solve this problem, many manufacturers add a right-angle bevel gear pair at the top of the bowl, connecting to a horizontal shaft, allowing the crank handle to be located off to the side of the bowl, away from direct heat. In addition to the introduced complexity and potential failure modes this requires a “bridge” structure that crosses over the center of the bowl. Consequently, the area encompassed by the lid(s) must then be limited to the space between the bridge and one or both sides of the bowl. Because of this necessarily small area, the popped corn often jams against the bridge, preventing easy pouring of the popped corn. It is consequently difficult or impossible to pop more corn than the bowl will hold, limiting the utility of the popper.
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